Nasal prongs (also referred to as nasal pillows, nozzles and cannulae) used in the treatment of SDB are designed for sealing inside and/or against respective nasal passages of the patient, such as against the outer, exposed surfaces of the nares. Air or other breathable gas is supplied by a blower and passed along a flexible conduit to the nasal prongs.
A common problem with known nasal prongs is patient comfort. For example, one common problem is irritation or discomfort of the inside of the patient's nostrils caused by air flow irritation (referred to as air jetting or jetting effect) when high velocity air, e.g., pressurized up to 14 cmH2O or more, is passed through the nasal passages from the nasal prongs.
A known mask structured to minimize the sensation of air jetting is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,724,965, for example.
There is a continuous need in the art to provide nasal prongs with a high level of comfort by reducing and/or eliminating air jetting.